1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a racing game, particularly a racing game where the racing markers can be operated selectively and strategically to maximize progress of one player's markers and minimize progress of the markers of opposing players.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are in the prior art a variety of racing games arranged to simulate conditions encountered in an actual race. The usual ingredients of such a game are: (a) a game board representing some sort of race path, (b) a marker for each player to be moved along the race path, (c) chance means, such as dice or a spinner, to provide a chance determined number to indicate the amount of travel of the marker, and (d) some sort of obstacle or obstacles to impede progress of the markers, sometimes on a chance basis.
One such game is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,577,961, Graves, where there is a game board indicating an automobile race track around which several automobile markers "race" to come in first at the finish line, with the path being obstructed with repair shop squares, crack-up squares and the like. The patent indicates the desirability of eliminating the necessity of each player having to wait his turn. Accordingly, this game provides a spinner so arranged that on each spin a plurality of different numerical values come up, one for each player in the game. Thus, after each spin of this spinner, all the players are able to move their markers, but at different distances in accordance with the different numerical values indicated for the players.
A racing game similar to that of the Graves patent is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,044,779, Hvizdash. The game board displays a track having a plurality of parallel paths on an oval track. Cards are drawn to determine progress and impediments to progress of each of the markers moving around the oval track.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,231,279, shows another form of an automotive racing game in which each player can select the "speed" at which his automobile marker moves around the track. The "risk" element comes about when the automobile marker arrives at a curved area of the track at a rate of speed above the safe level at which the curve can be negotiated. Then the player throws the dice to determine the possible penalty or consequences of the overspeed condition. Since as a practical matter it is not possible to win the game by always maintaining a "safe speed", the element of chance largely determines the actual success of the player.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,738,659, adds another facet to the racing game, in requiring the player to first "purchase" the various parts of the automobile, which when assembled permits the player to begin racing. This game involves randomly distributable monetary units and play directing cards which again are picked up in a random sequence by the players.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,834,709, Lamb, discloses a game simulating a Greyhound race. There are a plurality of paths, one for each Greyhound marker. These paths meet and intersect at various locations, so that the progress of one Greyhound marker can impede the progress of a second Greyhound marker at the point of meeting or intersection. Dice are used to advance the markers along their respective paths.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,851,881 is intended to simulate the hazards of traveling the subway system of a large city. The gameboard represents the subway system of a city, and each player starts on a train at a particular starting point and wins the game by successfully returning to the starting point. Progress is determined by the number which turns up on a spin of the wheel, and there are instruction cards received in some random manner giving various instructions related to the player's progress over the board.
While the prior art racing games do attempt to inject a certain amount of interest or excitement by adding features which simulate or represent features encountered in actual race or travel situations, the success or failure of the participants is still due largely, if not almost entirely, to the element of chance, as determined by the throw of the dice, the turn of the spinner, or the draw of a card. In view of this, it is an object of the present invention to provide a racing game which incorporates the element of racing strategy together with the element of risk inherent in racing. More specifically, this is accomplished by providing a game incorporating team racing where each player has a racing team made up of a plurality of individual racing members or markers which are advanced selectively along the race course while maintaining a predetermined order of progress. Progress of the individual racing markers or members is determined partly by chance, e.g., by a throw of the dice, and partly by strategy in selecting the member to be moved, this being done in accordance with certain game rules to maximize progress of the player's own team members, while minimizing progress of the opposing team members.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a game which simulates the strategy and hazards of team racing of motorcycles along a cross-country course. The hazards incorporate not only delays such as breakdowns, pile-ups, collisions with natural obstacles, etc., but also incorporate diversions where a team member is misdirected from the shortest through route by being directed to a portion of the course already traveled. The strategic element is incorporated by the player selectively moving his individual members to avoid obstacles and also in a manner such that the progress of a rearwardly positioned member is not impeded by a forward member of the same team (which the rearwardly positioned member is not allowed to pass). Also, strategy is involved in positioning the individual team members with respect to squares occupied by opposing team members.